


Face the Fear and Hold Your Head Up High

by ThrowHandsPetHambs



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Byleth is a millenial, Canonical Character Death, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Dorks in Love, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Seteth and Flayn's A-support spoilers, Seteth has social anxiety, Seteth's internal monologue is just him screaming basically, Silver Snow Route, Slice of Life, Spoilers for Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Tooth-Rotting Fluff, beta read so no Valhalla I guess, my beta reader shitposted all over my Google Docs send help, parenting, some angst if you squint, the beta reader is the real MVP, throwback(s) to major character death(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 22:31:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20881742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThrowHandsPetHambs/pseuds/ThrowHandsPetHambs
Summary: The silence was broken with the shorter man's chuckling. "Oh wow, listen to me", his hands were still grasping Seteth's wrists, and the latter could feel the former shake with his laughter. "I'm a complete mess. Buuuuut," Byleth finally looked back at his companion, impish glimmer in his eyes. "So are you."Seteth blinked, confused, and felt a blush creep on his cheeks. Him? A mess? How dare Byleth. But Seteth had to admit, his friend was right. They both were complete messes, at least for the moment, and it was thanks to each other. The professor's next words made the assistant flush deeper and flinch."And I guess that makes us a good match." He winked. He seriously winked, what in the name of Sothis was happening?--Seteth and the professor talk about their feelings and spend quality time with Flayn.





	Face the Fear and Hold Your Head Up High

**Author's Note:**

> Sequel to [Byleth's Top-Down Approact to Teaching](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20752613) so you should probably read that first or else this won't make much sense. 
> 
> Be warned, the first fic is raunchy!  
Thanks once again to my lovely beta reader <3
> 
> I'm adding nods to Nordic cultures perhaps on pure self-indulgence, but the monastery does have a sauna, and I refuse to believe it's not a Nordic one, most preferably Finnish type. So, I'm adding holidays from Nordics into the world, and I don't feel remorse one bit, ha!
> 
> The title of the fic is from [Denmark's Eurovision song from 2018](https://youtu.be/c0kP074Mw0k)

Seteth spent the following days in a lovestruck haze. He had been infatuated and in love before, yes, but something about this was different. This was so sudden, a flame that had burst to it's full suddenly, quickly, and burned with the same warmth and brightness as the slower, over time fire he was more used to.

With his wife, things had gone slow, gradually, like love had one day at a time placed one more block in a puzzle. Now, the painting had been tossed at him at its full, with no time to… really get used to it. So it was intense, unlike anything he had experienced before in his long lifespan.

Perhaps it was because Byleth was originally, at least supposedly, a human, with a regular lifespan, like his father had also been. Sure, there had been rumors about Jeralt’s life span being strangely long for a human, but they were just hear-say, so Seteth paid them no mind. Or who knows, maybe the professor had been like Seteth's own people from the very beginning, but without realizing that himself. Nonetheless, this hypothesis seemed far-fetched, since humans, too had romances that developed gradually, without haste.

It was a strange and intoxicating feeling, falling for this former teacher, and quite honestly, Seteth welcomed this strangeness.

The only problem was, he didn't really have time to be distracted like this, as there was work to be done. But working seemed quite honestly impossible in this state. His mind wandered to anything Byleth constantly, thinking of the younger man’s voice, his scent, the taste of lips and tongue, the warmth of his hands, his breath, his body… How was he expected to work when he was blushing and giggling like a teenager in his office, the door closed and unfinished paperwork laid out before him.

There hadn't really been occasions to visit his new lover since as expected, all of Byleth's former students as well as their colleagues of the resistance army wanted to go and see the wounded and offer their help. Seteth felt it wrong to try and hog Byleth's attention more than he had on that fateful day last Sunday. And, well, he wasn't ready for all this to be common knowledge just yet, so he didn't want questions prying up like why he'd visit the professor so frequently. Rumours were quick to spread in such a tightly woven group, especially since Sylvain and Manuela formed part of it, after all, and he didn't wish for everyone to gossip if the leader and first-hand-man were a couple.

Goddess, he didn't even _ know _ whether they were a couple or not. They hadn't the time to discuss the changes in their friendship yet.

And if he was being honest with himself, the discussion felt intimidating.

Sure, he had admitted his developing feelings already, but that was in the heat of the moment, so it had been… The words had just found their way out of his mouth, without giving him the opportunity to mull on them.

It had only been a couple days, so… Even if they had been official with each other already, Seteth felt like he wouldn’t be ready for others to know about them, not just yet. And because it was so recent, he wasn’t worried about not meeting with the professor during the week. The younger man’s leg injury bound him to resting, after all, and Seteth was _ supposed _ to do work, but here he was, mooting and daydreaming.

A gentle knock on his door snapped him back to the present from his characteristic overthinking.

A familiar and beloved voice called for him then. "Brother?"

"Come in", Seteth responded, and the door creaked open. He couldn't help but grant a warm smile at his dear Flayn.

"Pardon my intrusion", the girl spoke, nodded and reciprocated her father's smile.

She closed the door behind her as Seteth stood up and responded: "By all means. I always have time for you, Flayn."

The girl's smile widened as she let out a small chuckle. "I know that, brother."

The two sat on opposing sides of the assistant's desk and Seteth inquired: "What can I do for you?"

"Ah, I do not need anything. I am here to report on the professor", the young woman responded. She was a healer, so she most likely had been looking at her instructor's wound.

"His leg is healing well", she began.

"That is good to hear", her father mused with a nod. "So he has taken the advice you and Manuela gave him."

"Yes, that he needs to rest", she confirmed with a nod of her own. "It is good to see him take our words to heart. He works so, so much, all of the time. Much like you, brother."

Seteth frowned at the words. "You really think so", his response more of a statement than a question.

"Yes! I do think you need to learn to take some time for yourself as well. You are always so diligent, making sure everything is as it should be." Her brows furrowed, and she looked worried, sad even. "I do not wish for you to overexert yourself. I always worry so when you pile more and more work for yourself."

Flayn leaned to grab the hand of the man she had to call brother, to protect herself, or whatever. She hated calling him that. She wanted to call him what he was, her father. She loved her father from the bottom of her heart, and wanted to express it. Siblings tended to quarrel a lot, she had noticed, and she didn't wish to do that with Seteth. She wanted to be like any young girl who had a caring father, make him cards and bake cakes and such. The people of Fódlan always celebrated their fathers during the Red Wolf Moon, which Flayn found somewhat amusing, as her father's birthday was in the following month. So at least she could bake her "brother" a birthday cake. But two cakes would be better, at least if you asked her! She sure was optimistic, and blissfully unaware or how… lacking her baking and cooking skills really were.

She grabbed the man's hand and looked him in the eyes. "Please, do it for me, brother." She smiled sweetly and tilted her head slightly. Oh no, she was doing the puppy-eyes, every father's weakness. "I wish to spend more time with you. I wish to go fishing together with you more often."

Seteth's heart was melting. The puppy-eyes always had him, and so did that sincere and kind smile. Flayn's words were so full of genuine care, and it would be impossible to say no to her. Seteth didn't even want to try.

The assistant sighed and smiled softly at his kin. "If you insist. However I still need to take care of my duties, no matter how much I would rather spend my time reading fables to you."

The girl chuckled happily and gave her father's hand a gentle squeeze. "I am glad." She let go of the hand and stood up. "I will leave you to your work now, but promise me you will _ try _ to start it today. Not overworking yourself, I mean."

Before Seteth had the time to respond, she was already out of the door. He couldn't help but let out a chuckle. He really hoped she would keep her optimistic and gentle mindset for an eternity, despite all the horrors of wars. After all, her cheerful and somewhat naïve personality was the main reason he had retained his sanity after all this time, contrasting his broody perfectionism. 

The assistant turned to look at his papers once more and let out a sigh. He had to get these done. He had been slacking off all week after all, so it wasn't really like he was betraying his promise, right?

He thought of his daughter's furrowed brow and decided he'd take a stroll later that afternoon. No matter how buried in work he felt.

Somehow, Seteth got a significant amount of work done in a short time, and hadn't spent the whole time in his office thinking about Byleth's soft lips. Judging by the way light came in from his window, it was now around the time afternoon lessons ended back when the Officer's Academy still functioned as usual, so he figured what better time to do as he had promised.

The assistant piled the still unfinished work in one pile, the completed ones already in their right folders, and left his office. Goddess, it was difficult leaving things undone, but he could only blame himself and his wandering thoughts.

Some of the former students were chatting here and there, some reading books, others just basking in the afternoon sun. And as per usual, some were working out or training with their weapons, and a couple of them were painting. It was a pleasant and peaceful day, and Seteth was glad the youngsters were able to relax every now and then, despite being in the middle of a war. After all, how could they possibly fight, if they didn't take care of themselves first?

He could see why Flayn was so keen on having her father relax as well. How could he commend others for doing something, while he denied it from himself? Perhaps it was good that someone was there to get through his thick skull.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, his stroll lead him near the dormitories, so he figured what better time to go check up on the professor. The rest of the Resistance Army had most likely visited him by now after all, and if he was truly listening to what Flayn and Manuela were saying, Byleth would still be resting. The two women had told the professor some light walking was good, but not too much.

"You can't go running around like you usually do on Sundays, my dear", Manuela had said. It was common knowledge the rebellion's leader loved to dash around the monastery grounds and chat people up, so this advice had made him sigh in defeat.

It must have been rough on the professor, being confined so. After all, he had told Seteth he wasn't used to being injured or sick, so staying still must have been challenging for the younger man.

Seteth hoped a visit from him would cheer Byleth up. Perhaps they could stroll to the garden to have tea, since it was nice out, and it wasn't that far off from his personal quarters. Or maybe they could go fishing. He had promised Flayn they'd also spend time with that hobby, and fishing together, all three of them, could be great but… Seteth didn't feel like he was ready for it yet. His daughter and his loved one, both spending time with him at the same time, and the two men hadn't even talked that much after…

A blush crept on the assistant's cheeks, and he tried to shake those thoughts from his mind. The two of them could talk in a moment after all.

He walked to Byleth's door and knocked. A familiar voice responded: "It's open."

The wooden double doors opened easily, and Seteth saw the professor sitting on his bed, reading a book. He lowered the tome as he looked up to greet his visitor, and his face visibly lit up when he saw who it was.

"Seteth!" the shorter man chirped happily. He started looking for his bookmark, and then set his book down. "I'm really glad to see you." His smile was bright and his eyes glistened. Seteth's heart filled with affection as he looked on his lover's face.

The younger man was wearing his usual attire, except for his shoes, which laid beside his bed. Perhaps he was thinking of taking a stroll later, or had taken one earlier, while Seteth had been entrenched in his office. It was a pity, but at least he had caught up to his work somewhat, so maybe it was a good thing.

Seteth closed the doors behind him and sat on the edge of his friend's bed. "How is your leg?" he inquired. He had heard it was healing sure, but it was customary to ask the wounded themselves. And he liked listening to Byleth's voice.

"It's pretty good", the shorter man replied and reached to gently pat his leg. "It's still not fully recovered, but I'm pretty sure I could go for a small jog, if I wanted." He let out a chuckle and looked his companion in the eyes. "But I'm not going to disobey direct orders from the doctor tag-team." He was jesting somewhat, since he wasn't sure if Flayn was actually a doctor, but the two healers were so competent and the word tag-team was fun, so he went with that.

The assistant smiled. "You are in good hands, Byleth."

The professor reached to grab Seteth's hands and held them. He looked down as he stroked the older man's hands with his thumbs. "These are especially are good hands." He looked back at his companion with a smug smile.

Seteth's face was getting warm. Why did Byleth have to smirk like that? His heart was beating a tad faster than normal.

The rebellion's leader chucked again. His laughter was warm and it made the taller man's stomach fill with butterflies.

Byleth seemed to be in a good mood, teasingly flirting with the taller man, and the overall mood was light-hearted and casual. The situation seemed ideal for the discussion that kept disrupting Seteth's train of thought, and the longer it took without clearing the air about the nature of their relationship, the longer he suffered.

"I have… something to ask of you", the saint begun. A sentence oft said to the professor, but this time, in a very different context. Usually he tasked the professor with errands but this time, he wanted a little heart-to-heart.

His companion nodded, hands still grasping Seteth's, the younger man's expression to the usual stoic one to show he was listening.

"I… Hm, how should I put this." The assistant's brows furrowed as he struggled to find words. "I have spent quite a lot of time thinking about…" He bit his lower lip. "About the changed nature of our…" The next word made his heart pound in his chest. "Relationship."

His cheeks were hot, and his breath was slightly shaky. Yep, the professor really made him feel like a teenager. After all those centuries, spent on this Earth, this former mercenary made this ancient, ageless creature feel like he was an inexperienced and timid young boy once more.

Byleth looked back at him with half-lidded eyes, a smile on his lips once more. "I see", he mused, and reached to cup his guests cheek and caress it. 

Seteth couldn't help but lean into the touch, and he rubbed against the hand slightly. Byleth let out a giggle. "You're like a cat", he quipped, and Seteth felt his cheeks light once more. "So cute", the professor said and his pitch went up. It sounded almost like he was talking to an actual cat, and that made the assistant even more flustered.

Byleth chuckled once more when he noticed how his companion reacted. "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. You're just so _ adorable _."

He cleared his throat then. "Right. You asked a question and I'm just teasing you. So uh," The professor tilted his head and smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that too."

This was both endearing and infuriating. Being teased like this felt… nice. But Seteth wanted answers. Actually a discussion, rather.

"I genuinely think", the younger man began once more, "that you're adorable. I really like spending time with you, more than with anyone else." He was smiling warmly. The suspense made Seteth's heart beat even faster. His body felt heavy.

"And…" The professor took a deep breath and looked right at his lover's eyes. It felt like his bright green eyes were drilling holes into Seteth's, and that he would be able to see directly into the older man's soul. The saint's heartbeat was so loud he was afraid it would drown the words Byleth would say to him.

‘Please, just spit it out,’ Seteth begged in his mind. 'Goddess, let this be over.' He didn't even care if the shorter man wanted to have nothing to do with him anymore, he just wanted to move on from this terrible purgatory of not knowing.

"I would love to spend more time with you…" the younger man continued. Gah, this was so vague! This was horrible, horrible! Seteth was so preoccupied in his own panic, he didn't take note on how his beloved's cheeks were red like the setting sun, his breath shallow, and that the professor was struggling with his words because he too was anxious.

"A-and I…" Byleth closed his eyes and took a few breaths. "Fuck, why is this so fucking difficult", he grumbled under his breath. Seteth could hear it, and the frustration in his companion's voice made his shudder.

Byleth grabbed the taller man's wrists tightly and almost yelled: "I want to date you! Please go out with me!"

The air seemed to stand still, and it felt as if time itself had stopped.

It was very much out of the ordinary to see the usually calm and stoic professor blurt out things like this, like… well, like a flustered teenager. Goodness, they both seemed to have this kind of effect on each other, making the other man a giddy teen with no experience.

Come to think of it, Byleth had disclosed his inexperience on that fateful Sunday night. Perhaps he also lacked experience in the romantic department, not just sexual (not that Seteth could ever complain about the sex). The situation was very new and, frankly, intimidating to Seteth as well. So perhaps it just made sense they both acted like this.

Despite the situations and the professor's strangeness, it all was also very endearing. Seteth could feel that fluttering in his stomach once again, and his body that had previously felt heavy now felt light as a feather. Hell, he almost felt like he could take flight! But just almost.

The silence was broken with the shorter man's chuckling. "Oh wow, listen to me", his hands were still grasping Seteth's wrists, and the latter could feel the former shake with his laughter. "I'm a complete mess. Buuuuut," Byleth finally looked back at his companion, impish glimmer in his eyes. "So are you."

Seteth blinked, confused, and felt a blush creep on his cheeks. Him? A mess? How _ dare _ Byleth. But Seteth had to admit, his friend was right. They both were complete messes, at least for the moment, and it was thanks to each other. The professor's next words made the assistant flush deeper and flinch.

"And I guess that makes us a good match." He winked. He seriously winked, what in the name of Sothis was happening?  
  
Seteth was about to stammer something as a response, but his companion wasn't finished yet. "Anyway… Now I've said it." He chuckled again and slid his hands to take hold of Seteth's own instead of his wrists, and gently stroked them with his thumbs. "So, wanna go out with me?"

The professor was blushing as he looked at his guest, a sheepish but still somewhat smug smile on his face. At least, Seteth thought it looked smug. It made his heart pound in his chest. Urgh, he had never really been a fan of grins like that, or at least Seteth thought he hadn't been, but this one made him all bubbly.

"Right now?" was the first reasonable reply the older man was able to come up with. His companion nodded, that smile still on his lips. "I-I-uh, where shall we go?" His cheeks and ears must have been bright red by now, and the idea of going _ outside _ , where people could _ see _ them, was intimidating.

Byleth giggled. "How about tea in the garden? Or a light stroll?"

Their brainstorming session was cut short with a knock on the professor’s door and a bright voice calling for him. "Professor? Are you in there?"

It was unmistakable. The person outside the door was none other than Flayn.

The two men hastily let go of each other's hands and Seteth shuffled to a more neutral sitting spot on his companion's bed. The taller man had no idea if the sudden interruption had made his face redden or pale, but it was too late to do anything about his face right now.

Byleth took a deep breath in an attempt to regain his composure. "Yes, come in!" He didn't want to be rude to his student and lie to her, and, well, the professor and his guest had just… talked. Yes, nothing weird about letting another person join in, especially not his new lover's child. He held back a nervous laugh.

The door opened, and green hair curtaining a kind face peeked in. Flayn flashed a wide smile. "Brother! I see you are listening to my advice!" She stepped in and let the door close behind her. "I am glad", she confirmed and nodded with a light bow.

She turned her attention to the professor. "I came to visit to inquire about your leg. I know it is healing, but naturally I wish to hear from you directly." She smiled again, warm like the afternoon sun. "And of course I can provide you with healing if you require it."

Byleth nodded and returned a smile of his own. "Thank you. I was thinking I might take a little walk today. Nothing too drastic, just a light stroll." He didn't want to worry this sweet girl, so he affirmed he wouldn't go against her and Manuela's suggestion.

"That sounds delightful!" Flayn chimed and turned her attention to her father. "I am sorry for intruding, but I am curious, what brought you here, brother?"

Seteth granted his daughter a smile. "Ah, I was on a walk myself, and since I was nearby, I decided to pay the professor a visit." He couldn't possibly lie to that genuinely caring and curious being, but he wasn't ready to disclose the rest of the story, not yet.

The youngster's face lit up as it seemed she had an idea. "Oh! What if all three of us promenaded together? We could go fishing together too!" She simply radiated positive vibes as she thought about how fishing was something they all were interested in and could possibly bond over. Flayn, her father, and her favourite professor, all three of them! She felt like this was the best idea she had had since joining Byleth's class!

"Sure", the professor replied with a gentle smile, and Seteth agreed.

"Yes, that would be lovely", he mused, a thoughtful expression on his face. He loved to spend time with his daughter, sure, but it was strange, having both her _ and _Byleth there. What if the two men said or did something awkward? "I was planning on getting back to work later, but…" His expression softened as he looked at Flayn and Byleth both. No, he couldn’t resist. Two of his favourite people, a hobby he liked, and on top of that, he’d fulfill his promise about taking some breaks. "But perhaps spending time with my dear sister and good friend are as good a reason as ever to postpone the work for another day."

The girl jumped in joy. "Wonderful! Shall we go immediately?"

So their planned date turned into a family outing, kind of. Flayn was utterly unaware of the blossoming romance between the two men. The professor always seemed so fatherly towards her and the rest of the students that she couldn't help but think this was quality time with her two dads. She giggled at the thought as the trio made their way to the fishing pond.

She missed her mother dearly, but having two fathers sounded absolutely delightful as well. She just hoped she wouldn’t accidentally call either of them by that title, since with Byleth it would be _ embarrassing _, calling your teacher with parent terms, even if the teacher somewhat considered you their child as well. As for her father… She knew he did everything in his power to keep her safe, and right now it included the guise of being siblings.

A stupid, loathsome, horrible guise. Maybe if she _ did _ more or less accidentally sputter out that term, it would force Seteth to rethink this arrangement. Besides, it wasn't as if the professor didn't already know the truth about their family. 

Despite the temptation, Flayn decided to try not to stumble on her tongue. Sure, Byleth knew about their guise, but what if someone else heard them? Someone like, Sothis forbid, Manuela? The entire monastery would be made aware before sun-up! Even if she hated this lie, she didn’t want to cause her father any trouble by breaking the cover he had so carefully built.

The adults were discussing some boring bureaucracy things or administration things or whatever as they walked, so Flayn didn't feel too bad letting her mind wander. She wasn't interested in joining the conversation, nor eavesdropping, since she didn't even understand what it was the men were talking about. It wasn't that she was dumb, no, she simply lacked interest in the few things she found boring. 

They finally reached the pond and could start fishing, and Flayn hoped the adults would talk about more interesting things when they fished, such as…well, fish.

A fishing rod for each of the three, some bait, and the family outing could commence for real!

They all sat dawn on the pier, and the professor started putting bait on his hook, when he remembered something. "Seteth", he called as he turned towards the taller man. "You mentioned you never put the bait on", he turned to look at Flayn, "and I have a feeling you don't know how to do either, Flayn." Both saints nodded.

"Would you like me to teach you?" the shorter man asked both his friends then, a smile on his lips. Flayn flailed her hands excitedly. "Oh yes, please! I would love that, professor!"

Seteth chuckled. "Perhaps it would be a good idea to learn to do it myself some day as well. So, yes, I would be glad to learn from you, Byleth." His cheeks flushed and he looked flustered. "Professor", he corrected himself then.

The teacher laughed. "Hey, we've already established we're on first-name-bases, haven't we, Seteth?" He grinned smugly at his undercover lover, who flushed slightly deeper at the mischievous smile.

"B-Byleth! Stop looking at me like that", Seteth mumbled and furrowed his brow. He kept looking into those piercing, playful eyes. Did the professor want to blow their cover? Was he doing this on purpose? That smug grin just widened as the professor saw his companion panicking slightly. Goddess, Byleth really _ was _ teasing him, and getting quite a kick out of it, too! 

Flayn, unknowing of what her father and her professor had been doing behind closed doors, giggled at their antics. "You two are quite silly", she mused cheerfully. She was genuinely happy her father had found a friend in the professor. He was too much of a recluse, if you asked her, and making more friends would definitely do him wonders. Perhaps make it easier for him to stay off _ her _ back constantly, hindering her friendship with meddling and being way too overprotective.

Seteth sighed and calmed himself as the lesson began, and they could start fishing.

Byleth was pleased with how eager Flayn was to learn, both in the classroom and in everyday things such as this. She was a great student. Perhaps somewhat forgetful and messy, but… so was he. He smiled at the thought. His students were like his children; now he was seeing the father of one of them, so Flayn was like, double his kid now, basically. Maybe not yet, officially, but the sentiments were there.

And Goddess damn it, he wanted to date Seteth officially so much and just tell everyone about his feelings. Perhaps it was the rush of a new love, his first genuine love, but it made him almost burst with joy, and he wanted everyone to know about his happiness. Though he wasn't one to wear his heart on his sleeve, he felt exceptions were sometimes necessary. 

Alas, Seteth was being so timid, as if walking on eggshells. It would take him time to admit anything in public, or even just to Flayn. Perhaps even to himself! Who was Byleth to know? 

What he did know, was the taller man made him really happy. He wanted to be the one to make Seteth feel the same way, to be blessed with that beautiful smile of his every day. The professor felt a tad greedy, wanting the other man all to himself, but he truly did wish him happiness. And if he could do anything to help with that, he would.

Somehow he felt like Flayn too would be happy to see her father find love again, and to allow himself to be loved. It must have been tiring for… a teenager? He was unsure of how the saints aged, but it did seem his student was still a youngster, not fully matured. She was somewhat mature yes, so not a pure child, but thanks to her slow or non-existent ageing, she didn't seem like a teenager either, not really. But that seemed to be the most fitting human term to describe her age. 

All of this was still so confusing to the professor, suddenly just fusing to the strange shitposting gremlin inside his head, who was the reincarnated Goddess apparently, and the creator or mother or something to the people his loved one belonged to, as well as his employer, the Archbishop Rhea.

Before the battle five years ago, Rhea had said she'd be leaving the monastery in his hands. She'd made it sound like Byleth was supposed to be the new archbishop, but… He didn't know if he was ready to accept that title, or even willing to do so. He just wanted to teach at the academy; he really liked this job. All of his co-workers were great people in their own right and he adored his students. Or, well, former students, officially, but he did still instruct them. And they all still saw him as their professor anyway, so were the semantics really that important in this situation? The instructor and his pupils, the same as ever. They had all grown into fine people, and it brought a small smile to Byleth's face.

After finishing his tangent, or several tangents, the rebellion's leader got back to the thought he had lost trail of, thanks to semantics, unsurprisingly. Flayn and her father, yes, it must have been hard for a teenager to watch her father drown himself in work and not socialize that much, tiring to have her parent watching over her so carefully.

His own father had been… The best dad to ever grace this damn continent, or planet. Goddess, Byleth missed his father so much, constantly, but had learned to live with the pain. Jeralt's parenting style was very liberal, allowing his kid to grow in any direction the offspring wanted himself. Otherwise, he had of course tried to keep Byleth out of danger the best he could, but not as suffocatingly as Seteth protected his child. Byleth loved this man, this wonderful saint, but he was also friends with Flayn, who had often confided in her professor how she didn't have as much freedom as she wanted. The teacher of course understood a father wanted to keep his child safe, so had his father as well, but, dang dude, you have to let your kid live a little. Spread her own wings. Make her own mistakes and let her come back to you, crying, and then be there for her to help her clean and bandage those wounds.

The professor knew it wasn't really his place to judge someone's parenting style too much, and there were way, _ way _ worse parents among his students, though most of them dead or beyond redemption. So if he was able to help at least one family have a more equal and trusting parent-child relationship, he wanted to do whatever he could.

And gosh, now adding Seteth and him being romantically involved, it became another layer of 'don't tell this person how to parent'. Step-parents and new lovers overstepped their boundaries too often, and Byleth didn't want to be that kind of step-father. He wanted to support and help his beloved, as well as his student and friend.

The professor lost track of time, letting his mind wander. The silence was soothing, all three of them just enjoying their shared hobby and each others company.

He felt happy. He felt genuinely happy for the first time since he'd awoken in this war torn era and he wanted to experience more moments like this. With these two wonderful people involved. He was perhaps a bit sappy, but who cared, his happiness wasn't away from anyone else's. He felt his resolve to bring an end to war renewed, so he could enjoy peaceful days with Seteth and Flayn. Peace was a wonderful thing in general, and finally having someone he wanted to enjoy it with, it made the future after the war seem even better.

Their buckets had slowly but quite steadily filled with various delicious fish that would be a great addition to the dining hall pantry.

All of a sudden, Flayn gasped. "Something big, something really big", she almost whispered. 

Byleth quickly but quietly rushed to her side, to asses the situation, and preparing to help the youngster in reeling in her whopper of a catch.

A mysterious glimmer arose from the water, one the professor had seen many times, and his eyes widened.

He gently instructed his pupil in how to secure the catch, and by now Seteth had also turned his attention to Flayn's struggle. He too prepared to help his daughter, as he realized the way his beloved had tensed up, excitement visible on the younger man's stoic face.

"Yes, very good, keep it up", Byleth spoke softly to not scare away the fish, assuringly to keep his protégés confidence up.

The line tightened, and Flayn struggled to keep her footing. Both men then took a gentle hold on the girl to help her keep steady and focus on the fish.

Frustrated, strained groans escaped from between the young woman's gritted teeth as she wrestled with this beast of a fish. She was determined to catch it, you just watch, everyone, she was going to get this fish!

Just a bit more, and…

The water's surface splattered, a huge splash to give way to the large animal leaving the water, the fish something Hilda might describe as “an absolute unit”, and the beast's scales gleamed in the afternoon sun. Flayn gasped, her eyes large like teacup saucers.

The fish was no other than a Goddess Messenger, and Flayn had caught it. She had caught it!

The fish landed on the pier, hook still on its lip, the fishing line leading to the pole in Flayn's hands, as the creature splashed around on the wooden surface.

Flayn let out an excited yelp and laughed. "I caught a Goddess Messenger! I caught a Goddess Messenger!" the girl beeped and gleamed with pride.

Their family outing was a huge success. Flayn was full of confidence and very energetic, Byleth was so darn proud of her, and Seteth was just happy to see his daughter so proud. Also to see what a great bond Flayn and the professor shared. His heart was so full of love and joy, both for his child and his beloved, and he felt like the luckiest man on the planet, watching the student ramble cheerily while the teacher smiled warmly at her and nodded along, giving her praise and validation.

They returned their loaned fishing poles and carried their spoils to the dining hall. As usual, when Byleth dropped by with fish to donate to the kitchen, the staff was delighted. The professor always seemed to bring high quality fish like Bullheads and it helped the cooks immensely with mealtime.

Flayn was so proud as she presented her third of the haul, the supremely rare Goddess Messenger, and Byleth chuckled affectionately. Seteth had to hold back so he didn't start crying internally over how proud he was.

Goddess, had he just thought of the professor as family? Sure, they were kin now, with Sothis reincarnated fused with the mortal, but this was different. He thought of himself and Byleth as a couple, as two individuals raising a child.

The assistant excused himself, claiming he had to get back to work. In reality, he just wanted to dwell on these feelings, alone and in silence. 

Flayn let out a defeated whine. "Aww, brother, do you really need to? Can we not spend more time together, just us three?" 

This time, he did not yield to the puppy-eyes. The older saint sighed and replied: "My apologies, Flayn. I really need to finish the paperwork from earlier." 

He nodded at Byleth, unable to meet his eyes, before walking with determined steps back to the central building, up the stairs and all the way to his office before anyone could stop him. He didn't really pay attention to his surroundings, only his destination, and the walk felt longer than usual. Thoughts buzzed through his head, and he desperately tried to not focus on any of them before he was safe and alone.

The door finally closed behind him, Seteth let out a long breath and leaned his back against the door. He stared at the floor before him, and noticed his cheeks and ears were on fire. Had he been blushing all the way, or did this happen when the stress alleviated somewhat? 

The thoughts were stressful, no doubt about that, because this was something new, and change was scary. But being surrounded by other people had been even more stressful. What if they could read all his thoughts from his face? What if they judged him?

But he was now inside the comforting familiarity of his office, alone, and he could mull on this all he needed.

First of all, how would Flayn react if… no, _ when _ she found out. They had to come clean about this to her eventually. Because Seteth really liked Byleth and wanted to…

He blushed deeper and stopped his thought. He pressed his hands on his face, ashamed.

Second of all, if his late wife could see this, what would she think? Would she be happy he found someone? Would she be sad she wasn't there with him? Would she be angry at how fast she was… _ replaced _?

'Really now, Seteth', he asked himself. Replace? People were as irreplaceable as they were unique. And quickly? He had been alone for so long he was unable to count the years. He felt touch starved and romantically repressed. How else could he explain how _ easily _ he went along that night? Him, a chronic overthinker, living in the moment, just enjoying himself and his company? The last time that had happened was when he had spent time with his wife so very long ago.

And thirdly, what would Rhea think if she were to hear about this, or be here to witness it? The professor was the avatar of the Goddess reborn after all, even if he wasn’t literally her reincarnation. So his sister might think this was some weird obsession with their mother, when that was quite honestly his _ least _ favourite part about all this. It was the man himself Seteth was interested in. Byleth’s ties to Sothis were confusing to say the least, and quite frankly, the assistant very much preferred not thinking about them whatsoever.

Seteth let out a sigh, walked to his desk and slumped over it, hands holding his head as his brain was basically overheating from worry and uncertainty. He was sure smoke could be seen coming out his ears. 

But one thing he was certain of, and it was he… was in love with the professor. And it made him feel happy. He was happy. And he wanted for that happiness to last, drown out the worry, stabilize.

He wanted to share his long life with Byleth. He wanted to have the professor by his side, confide in him, support him, once again have someone to fully trust and be open with, about his fears, his doubts, his hopes and dreams.

The assistant pressed his hands over his eyes, and his fingers were wet. He was crying.

All those repressed emotions had reached their boiling point, and his body could no longer hold all those worries inside. That's what tears were after all, a physical manifestation of an emotion being so much, that it needed to be let out. That's why after crying the head felt clearer, albeit also hurt. Seteth always got a headache after crying.

Last time he had cried was when Flayn had been kidnapped five years ago. Then it had been fear of losing the person who mattered most to him, his entire world. This time it was relief from all his anxieties tied to a new romantic relationship. Last time he'd wept, Rhea had been there with him. He had wept into his sister’s shoulder, as she comforted him and held her brother in her embrace, and the physical comfort of another worried family member had somewhat eased the ache. Seteth really missed his sister and wanted to find her. He knew she had to be alive, and he often prayed to the Goddess for the safety of his elder sister. A mother would keep her daughter safe, he hoped.

So what else was there to do, other than quietly weep all those fears and doubts away? Let them turn into salty water on his cheeks and hands, let them wash away like a wave leaving the shore, to be replaced with a new one. Old emotions out, a clear blank state now ready, waiting, for new ones to settle in. And this time, they were hopefulness and happiness, eager to meet a new day and see what lay ahead.

Next time they would see each other, Seteth would tell the professor how he felt. How he was now certain of them, the two of them together as a couple. His heart galloped at the mere thought, but he would find the courage. He had to. For his sake as well as Flayn's, who wanted to see her father happy.

Byleth was disappointed but not surprised at Seteth's sudden departure. He shook his head and sighed. "I just hope he isn't overworking himself." And, damn, he'd really wanted to feign the leg injury giving him pain so Seteth would carry him again and they could make out or something. The way Seteth had managed to lift and carry him so (seemingly) effortlessly was seriously hot. 

Flayn nodded beside him, unaware of anything but worry for her father's well being. "He truly does work too much if you ask me." She sighed. "Alas, I fear it can not be helped. He has always been like this."

The two chit chatted as they strolled back to the dorms and the healer asked once more how the wound was faring. "You do not seem to be in much pain, professor", she noted happily, "but I do hope that you will not burden your leg too much, nevertheless. It is still healing after all." She smiled happily at her favourite professor when he promised to take it easy, and headed towards a group of her former classmates sitting by the benches nearby. 

Byleth decided to follow the doctor's orders and lay back down on his bed, and focus once more on the book he had been reading when Seteth had dropped by for a visit.

However, the task proved difficult as his mind kept wandering to the dreamy deity he had reeled in somehow, and how smitten he was by the saint. Seteth was so handsome at all times, and working hard for their cause. 

Of course Byleth worked hard for the rebellion as well. He had been named the leader, so he had to do his part, and keep the morale up. But seeing the saint’s efforts, the professor wanted to work even harder, impress him perhaps. Oh wow, had he even noticed this before, or did he realize this just now? Byleth blushed at his past obliviousness as the realization flooded over him. His friend and colleague, now his loved one, the reason the man with the most weight on his shoulders was keeping his own motivation high.

It all felt so new and exciting, feeling this way about someone, and Byleth wanted more. More kisses, more touches, more serotonin and dopamine. To think his serotonin machine wasn't broke, how his generation often said.

He chuckled at the shared joke, understood by his students and other peers in age. It felt strange, feeling included despite being older than most, with the mercenary work adding to his experience, while when the students started at the academy, most had never killed. The sweet innocence and their carefree attitudes, something so foreign to someone who had never had a childhood most considered normal.

It also felt nice, being able to connect with the rest of the staff and the knights, to have all these friendships across so many different walks of life and experiences. He was grateful he had wound up here of all places. He could have lost his father at any time, considering their dangerous line of work, so having people to support Byleth when he lost his only family had been a blessing. Having to deal with grief with nothing but his mercenary colleagues would have been…difficult, to say the least.

And look at him now, friends with all these great people, leading them under a united banner against a violent threat, rallied against his former student.

He was sad Edelgard and him couldn't walk alongside each other as allies, with all the others with them as well. But he couldn’t have gone with her. The professor understood where the emperor was coming from with her hatred, but her methods were far too much. Too violent, too willing to sacrifice anything, anyone, for her cause.

Byleth didn't want for people to suffer more than they had to. He didn't want more and more people losing their lives for an ideal. He wanted a peaceful world where different ideals could live alongside each other.

Rhea's path of eliminating everyone who opposed her ideals was also the wrong way to go around things, but that was something he could confront her about when they next met. It was bound to happen; that woman was a tough cookie and not just anything could break her down. Perhaps she too was enjoying a dragon's sleep, like Byleth had been after the battle for the monastery.

Urgh, he was thinking too much. These were such grand ideas that they were tiring. He could ruminate on them in war councils. How had he even ended up here, thinking about his hot boyfriend…

'Boyfriend', he tested the word in his head once more and flushed. That word felt so… natural, like it belonged there, in his mind, on his tongue. He wanted to say it out loud, have Seteth hear it, have the saint recognize it as himself, accept it as a new title for himself. Byleth's boyfriend, Seteth.

The professor chuckled, laid down on his back and the book lay forgotten on his stomach. He really liked how the word boyfriend felt like combined with the idea of Seteth. Hopefully the taller man liked it as well, when the professor would eventually bring it up.

The leader let out a content sigh and figured perhaps it best prepare for bed. Perhaps tomorrow he could pay Seteth a visit at his office and bring up this idea of titles.

Both men started planning and mentally preparing themselves for the following day, unbeknownst to each other.

It was exciting, the idea of telling the other something so intimate, so emotional. The thought of confessing was also intimidating but, in retrospect, they had been intimate physically, so why not follow suite with emotional such. They couldn't keep running from their feelings forever, and neither really wanted to. They wanted to let the other man know those feelings, but just needed courage, the both of them.

It would certainly be an interesting day.

**Author's Note:**

> I was planning on just having this one fluff sequel but my beta reader keeps tossing IDEAS at me, and they're really good, so maybe this will be trilogy, a four part one, or a ten part story collection, I don't know, I might have lost control of my life, hah!
> 
> Hopefully the ending isn't too cliffhangery, since I haven't yet properly started writing the third part, but I'm absolutely certain I will write it.


End file.
